The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1887-09-14


too
do vou mean that you viii take her
by forceg''
Il DO and lei me give you piece Of
advice. see you are a tendefoot- Don't
put on too many airs in this country. II
is great place to have ones wings clip
ped off in a hurry Don't attempt any
foolishness with US, or You'll never know
what hurt you"
had nv Winchester in hand and two
revolvers in my belt. Had been hot
tempered man, there would have been
some shooting before he had concluded
his bombastie speech. ann slow TO an
ger. especially when human life NAV pay
the forfeit, and / hard him through
without being riled. The woman was
hidden in the wagon, and had not reveal
ed her presence to them by word or by
move.
If the woman chooses to go with you,
well and good" answered, as looked
a; the fellow by the light OF the camp
fire. "If she does not you cannot have
her.
Oh, we can't, eh !? You crow pretty
loud for a spring chicken. Well, ask the
woman 10 make choice"
The wagon was about ten PAGES from
the fire. and in the shadow, although
not so much that could not see it pretty
/ plainly / had made step toward 1t,
vixen saw a dark object under the
wheels, and, supposing it to be wolf ]
raised my gun and took snap shot, car
4 ing only 10 send a bullet near enough TO
1 drive it away. The object disappeared
with the echoes of the report and as ]
walked along to the wagon the two men
who had dismounted, accompanied me.
Standing within five feet of the wagon !
called to the woman and asked if she de-
sired 70 20 with the men, and she re-
Piled
~Oh sir, save me from them, even if
You have to shoot me.
But you have got 10 come" shouted
the half-bneed
She shall not gop shouted at him.
" give you two villains sixty seconds in
which to leave the camp. Now gor
They were both together and my rifle
covered both They looked straight at
me for fifteen or twenty seconds, and
then turned and rode away in the dark
ness. followed them for hundred
yards, when they urged their horses to
gallop, and rode 10 the north without
looking back ! stood and looked after
them until ] could no longer hear the
beat Of their horses hoofs and | felt rath
er proud Of my nerve in driving them
away Ii did not occur to me until the
next day that either OF both Of them
could have got the drop on me up TO the
time l raised my rifle, and that while
making their threats OF what they would
do they left their rifles lying across their
saddles. They simply permitted me 10
force them out Of camp at the muzzle OF
my Winchester, and that was part Of
their plan. When returned TO the fire
the woman was beside it, her face be-
traying fear and success, and as soon as
came up she clasped her hands and tear
fully exclaimed:
oh, you viii not let them take me
away you will not :"
assured her that they had been driv-
en- off, and that she was safe, and her
gratitude was unbounded. 1t was now
10 O'Clock and after, and Patton had not
vet returned. Ii was useless to expect
him till morning, and | sci about to pre-
pare the camp for the night As there
was a strong probability that the two
men driven off would secure reinforce
ments and return during the night, | tied
the horse TO the wagon, told the woman
that she should occupy the vehicle, and
prepared to spend the night on guard.
She seemed TO oppose this latter arrange
ment, doubling if the men would return,
and declaring il was sacrifice on my
part she could not accept. / bundled her
into the wagon, however, promising that
might catch nap after ! or O'Clock if
all WAS quiet and by and by ! let the fire
90 down and took my circle around the
camp with cat-like step. A few covotes
and wolves came about, but nothing SEEM
ed 10 disturb me. and the hours passed
away until O'Clock. BY that time / was
tired and sleepy. / dared not stretch out
for a regular sleep, knowing that the dan
ger was not yet passed, but | sat down on
a knoll about forty feet north Of the wag-
on TO nap little, knowing that any noise
of account would inst intly arouse me. II
was perhaps quarter Of an hour before
/ actually fell asleep, and almost instant
" ! began TO dream. ] dreamed that /
wasltied up to a tree on the plains, and
that rattlesnake wss crawling toward
me. The snake was coming to bite me
and ! was helpless. Every movement Of
the reptile was as vivid as if he dream
had been a reality, and my mind was as
clear as bell. The serpent came very
slowly. halting every two or three fee to
rear its head and look about, and when
it was within ten feet it changed Ii WAS
vet a serpent but it had small brown
hand, and the hand clutehed bulldog
pistol The pistol was pointed full at me
and | saw that the hammer was up
Whizzr - went the shadow before nv
face. and then looked behind me. The
snake was no longer in front. but creep
ing up IN my rear. and vet noticed him
a. plainly as before. He came on slowly
-cautiously-always little nearer.
When within three feet of my heels the
pistol was raised 10 the back of my head
and said TO myself
q" 80 / am to be shot II is large hui
let, and it will 20 clear through my head.
/ wonder why be didn't bite meP If
were loose would make fierce fight
for my life.
~Clug Ii was the sound of pistol |
hammer striking on the centre of cart
ridge-a cartridge which had failed to
explode. In the same second was on
my feet 4 figure stood before me. | |
gave my heavy rifle a half sweep. and
the figure sank down with stified shrek.
Then | was fully awake, and bent over
the stranger to find it was the woman
who should have been asleep in the
wagon She WAS unconscious Inn. rluts.b